


Of Ash & Blood

by stardustgirl



Series: Ambivalence [5]
Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: (and its struggles), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, Angst, Dark Ezra Bridger, Everyone Needs A Hug, Ezra Bridger Has PTSD, Ezra Bridger Needs a Hug, Family Issues, Han Solo's A+ Parenting, Heavy Angst, Identity Issues, Imperial AU, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Inquisitor Ezra Bridger, Inquisitor Kanan Jarrus, Kanan Jarrus Has PTSD, Kanan Jarrus Needs a Hug, Mandalorian Culture, Parental Kanan Jarrus, Parenthood, Post-Betrayal, Rated For Violence, Sabine Wren Needs a Hug, Someone Please Help These Poor Children, Teenage Ezra Bridger, mature themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:21:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23272396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardustgirl/pseuds/stardustgirl
Summary: “I can't see where you comin' fromBut I know just what you runnin' fromAnd what matters ain't the, who's baddest butThe ones who stop you fallin' from your ladder, baby“Sabine just wanted to be left to her work, alone, to make even more progress on her research.  Instead, a betrayal led her to the Rebellion and now, deeper into a hole she never thought she’d find herself in.Ezra didn’t know what he wanted when he ran from the Empire, but it wasn’t for his master to try to execute him in front of the rest of the Inquisitorius.  Now, on the run once more, he’s forced to confront demons he thought he left behind if he wants to survive.Kanan didn’t want any of this to happen.  But it did, and he made a choice, and he’s stuck with it—or at least, that’s what he thought.  When an unexpected opportunity appears, he’s given the chance to turn everything around and start over—but at an impossible price.Updates every other Monday.  Sequel toOf Dust & Fire.
Relationships: Ezra Bridger & Kanan Jarrus, Han Solo & Ahsoka Tano, Sabine Wren & Tristan Wren, Sabine Wren & Ursa Wren
Series: Ambivalence [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1377892
Comments: 12
Kudos: 43





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Look who's back, back again....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Referenced Attempted Child Murder/Execution, Betrayal, Concussion, Referenced Asphyxiation (via the Force)

“Let me _go!_ ”

“Kid, wait—“

“ _No!_ ” Ezra shouts, pulling out of his former master’s grasp with enough momentum he stumbles back against a tree, breathing hard. The man’s gaze darkens and he takes a step forward. Maul’s too far away now to help him, Ezra knows. Too far to save him from his former master again.

And he knows the man did this, separated him from Maul, on purpose. He’s helpless without him.

“Kid, we have to go, _now,_ ” he says. “They’ll catch up with us otherwise.”

Ezra shakes his head wildly. “No. I’m not going with you. I’m _never_ going with you. Never again.”

“Kid—“

“ _Don’t call me_ kid!” Ezra thrusts a hand out, and with it, a powerful wave of the Force that knocks his master back against a tree.

Ezra feels a heavy weight settle over his master’s end of their bond. He’s out cold. Swallowing, he turns to head back to where he and his master— _former master former master former master—_ had left Maul to fight with the Seventh Sister.

He stumbles back through the undergrowth, pausing as he reaches the edge of the clearing. He remains in the shadows, watching for an opportunity to jump in.

Instead, he hears something that makes his blood run cold.

“Wanting to kill the boy is _shallow-minded,_ but I would expect nothing less from the Emperor’s hunting dogs,” Maul snarls, blocking the Seventh Sister’s strike before pulling back and countering with one of his own. “You all have no _vision,_ just as Sidious doesn’t.”

“And what would _you_ do?” she counters, blocking him. “ _We_ were going to give him a quick death. You’re only _prolonging_ it.”

“No, I gave him a _second chance._ ”

“As your weapon.” She lunges again, nearly hitting him.

Maul laughs, a short, rough sound that sends chills up Ezra’s spine, as Maul lowers his head to the blade he’s barely holding at bay. But Ezra doesn’t need to be close to see the feral grin on his face as he looks her in the eyes again. “Perhaps. But what else could a boy that Dark be?”

Maul attacks her with a terrifying ferocity, driving her back until he has her backed up against a tree.

“Master?” Ezra calls then. He wants to do it himself. Seven had hurt _him,_ not Maul.

Maul stiffens slightly, just for a moment. But that moment of hesitation is enough, apparently, for Seven to gain the upper hand again. She knees Maul in the chest, shoving him away before bringing her lightsaber up into a defensive position again.

“Apprentice, stay and _fight!_ ” Maul orders.

Ezra hesitates for half a second, fragments of loyalty and shattered trust begging him to stay at his master’s side.

Instead, he runs.

* * *

Kanan gasps, inhaling deeply as he opens his eyes and why the _kriff is his head hurting so much what—_

He sits up, groaning, and begins to take stock of his injuries. He still has his lightsaber, good. His head throbs like he got hit by a speeder, but nothing seems outright _broken_ and there’s no blood that he can feel so he’s okay for now. He glances up, finally focusing on something other than himself.

Night has fallen.

He stands, wincing and rubbing his neck. He needs to find the kid.

 _His_ kid.

He starts walking, feeling for the threadbare bond they share, and tries to remember how he ended up with his own apprentice knocking him out. He remembers walking with Seven, coming upon the kid and the Shadow, the latter with two blades at his apprentice’s throat. He remembers Seven immediately moving to take out the Shadow and himself immediately moving to grab his apprentice and leave, letting the other two kill each other off like scorpions in a jar.

Only the kid hadn’t wanted to leave.

Even now, he’s screaming at himself for not just knocking the kid out if he had to and taking him back to the TIEs. It wouldn’t have been that hard, right?

Though apparently it had been.

He sighs, furious with himself, and continues pushing through the jungle. Seven had been right earlier, he has to admit; it _does_ smell like something here died recently.

The jungle only gets darker as he continues to walk, the three moons providing scant light in between the large leaves. He’s tempted to pull his ‘saber out and use it for light, but the light is just as likely to attract the Shadow.

He refrains from using it.

He reaches the clearing the TIEs are in and heaves a sigh of relief, sitting down to wait just within the treeline for a sign of movement.

He’s not sure how long it’s been when he finally hears something crashing through the woods. He stiffens, staring at the treeline opposite the TIEs.

His apprentice bursts out of the trees.

The boy skids to a halt, breathing hard and staring up at the TIEs. He glances around the clearing before bolting to Kanan’s own TIE, trying to figure out how to get up to the hatch.

“Here,” Kanan calls, rising from his spot at the treeline and walking toward the boy. He catches sight of Kanan and spins on his heel, making to run.

“Kid!” Kanan calls.

“Don’t call me—“

“I’m helping you run away.”

The boy stops, but still doesn’t turn back. Kanan continues to approach slowly, speaking quietly so as to not spook him.

“Come with me. I have a TIE, we can get off this planet and—“

“No,” he says, voice surprisingly hard.

“No?”

The boy whirls, fury in his eyes as he stalks toward Kanan. “ _No_ I am _not_ going with you! First I trusted Han, then I trusted– I trusted you, and now even _Maul’s_ admitted—“

He stops suddenly, chest heaving, and Kanan gets the impression he’s about to cry. Finally he speaks up again.

“I’m not gonna let someone else take advantage of me. Get the kark away from me.”

“Kid, that’s not—“

“You tried—I _trusted_ you, and you tried to kriffing _kill me!_ ” he finishes in a yell, visibly shaking from the anger.

“I was trying to _save you,_ kid. I had a plan.”

“Then why the kriff didn’t you say so?!”

“I _did!_ ”

“Oh, so ‘trust me’ means you automatically have a plan? You kriffing _choked me!_ ”

“And I’m trying to make up for it!” The teen doesn’t respond, only breathing heavily. “I’m sorry, kid. Really. So let me show you, and make it up to you by helping you get out.”

The boy glares at him for a long moment before uttering a single word through gritted teeth.

“Fine.”


	2. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kanan and his apprentice begin working out boundaries in their unsteady alliance while Han, Chewbacca, and Ahsoka infiltrate the Inquisitorius.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to post last week, sorry about that! Here we are this week though.
> 
> TW: Referenced Past Suicidal Ideations (not acted upon), Referenced Restraint for Someone's Own Safety

Kanan slashes both wings of Seven’s TIE with his lightsaber, smiling grimly to himself as the pod between the wings shudders before falling, the wing remnants following suit shortly after. He hurries to his own TIE, jumping in before helping the kid in.

“Disable the tracker,” he says. The kid nods, doing so without asking questions, and Kanan starts to fire up the fighter.

The moment Kanan sits down in the pilot’s seat, the kid standing behind him, said kid leans forward.

“If you do _anything_ to make me lose trust in you, I _will_ kill you,” he threatens.

“Of course you will,” he says, snorting.

“I will!” he nearly shouts as Kanan pilots them above the trees.

“Sure.”

He’s reminded of their first few interactions, of the boy nearly biting his hand off, and how he’d made so many suicidal comments that Kanan had been forced to keep him cuffed and away from any weapons and meds the first couple of days for his own safety. He hopes the teen isn’t that bad again.

They hit hyperspace and Kanan allows himself to relax, if only marginally. He shoots the kid a glance and realizes something.

“Here.” He unclips his lightsaber from his belt, handing it over. His apprentice only stares at it in confusion.

“Why?”

Kanan shrugs. “I figured it’d make you feel safer. And you don’t have yours, either. Not that I can see at least.”

The boy’s gaze drops back down to the hilt, studying it for a long minute before clipping it to his belt, nodding in silent thanks.

Kanan can only hope that the gesture will be enough.

* * *

Han walks beside Chewbacca, Inquisitor helmet on and visor succeeding in severely limiting his sight. He’d tried on a stormtrooper helmet, too, when they were first discussing the mission, and he’s glad this one has a lot more visibility, but he still doesn’t like it or the red tinge it casts on everything.

Tano, however, seems entirely unaffected, instead striding confidently next to Chewbacca. She hesitates for only a second at each corner, and another Inquisitor passes them with barely a nod.

Tano stops them at a terminal. Han watches Tano, frustrated that her expression’s entirely impossible to see through her visor.

She nods, turning to the terminal and inserting the slicing chip. Within moments, the system cracks, and they’re in.

She scans the records while Han keeps watch next to Chewbacca, glaring at a mouse droid scuttling past. Finally Tano straightens again, clearing her search and withdrawing the chip.

“Alright, Chewbacca, go check the detention block’s prisoner effects. We’ll meet you at the repulsorlift.”

Chewbacca groans, nodding before walking away. Han shoots him a last glance before turning back to Tano. “Where are we headed?”

Her voice hardens. “The quarters of the Grand Inquisitor.”

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Han mutters under his breath. Despite the looming apprehension rising in his throat, he follows Tano.

* * *

They reach the Grand Inquisitor’s quarters and, thankfully, he’s not there. Han breathes a sigh of relief and follows Tano in, remaining close to the door.

“I don’t sense it,” she says. “But I’ll look anyway. Maybe we can find something else that’ll be useful.”

He nods as she walks away, beginning her search at the Inquisitor’s desk. Han allows his mind to drift off as Tano searches for the cube, the woman eventually moving into an adjoining room.

Finally Tano returns, holding up a datapad. “Found this in the other room, thought it might have something useful on it.”

“Did you grab the data?”

“No. I have a feeling we’ll be able to get out with the whole ‘pad intact.”

He nods, slightly surprised though he doesn’t want to admit it; she knows she puts him on edge already and he’d prefer to avoid admitting just how much she does. “Hallway’s still clear, let’s go.” The pair slips out, hurrying back down the corridor toward the repulsorlifts.

Just before they reach the ‘lift, an alarm goes off in Han’s mind at the same time Tano holds a hand out.

“This way,” she hisses, gesturing for him to follow as they duck back behind the corner.

And just in time, too.

The ‘lift doors open and a large group of black-armored ‘troopers marches out. _Karkin’—_

Han moves to go further down the corridor they’re hiding in.

Instead, Tano grabs him by the shoulder, yanking him back in the same motion as the soldiers march past them.

“Don’t,” she whispers. “They’re not here for us. Otherwise we’d be dead by now.”

“Then who _are_ they here for?” he asks.

“I don’t want to find out,” she says, shaking her head. She glances around the corner once more before gesturing. “Let’s go meet up with Chewie. He should have been successful in finding it by now since we couldn’t. Or in finding _something,_ at least.”

Han nods. _He better have, or we’re all in hot water._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot this chapter was so short oopsss


	3. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions rise as Sabine finds herself on a mission alongside her brother. Meanwhile, Kanan and Ezra make landfall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Hypothetical Mind Control, Implied Suicidal Thoughts (not acted upon)

“Are you paying attention, Sabine?”

“Yes,” she snaps, not turning to look at her brother. She points to another blinking dot on the hologram. “Why don’t we do the pick up there?”

“Because we’ve already told Fulcrum the plan, and they’ve passed it onto who they’re working with,” Tristan answers. “It’s too late to change it now.”

“And when can _I_ know who they’re working with?”

“We have told you already; when we actually pick them up,” Mother responds this time, voice cold. “When you chose to defect later, you chose to give up priority access to knowledge.”

Sabine sighs, irritated. Yes, her mother has a point. And Sabine _herself_ has known that since even _before_ fully defecting.

But that doesn’t mean that she has to like it.

“ _Dropping out of hyperspace in two, Countess._ ”

“Copy that.”

Mother resumes her role as the resident strategist. “Tristan, you will take Sabine planetside with you and Three Oh to ensure our pickup runs smoothly. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Mother,” Tristan says.

“Sabine?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Go prepare for departure.” Mother clicks the hologram off and Tristan gestures to Sabine. She follows him toward the cargo bay of the Gauntlet.

“Have you met Three Oh before?” Sabine shakes her head.

“I’ve just seen him around the base, not up close.”

“He’s a See Bee Dee series, with mods. And if it comes down to it, his programming is to prioritize who’s the most valuable to the Rebellion and keep them alive at any cost.”

There’s a weight behind his words that she can’t determine. “And?”

“And that won’t be either of us.”

Sabine swallows hard and nods. “Okay.” She continues to follow her brother in silence, ignoring the rising nausea in her stomach.

Three Oh meets them in the cargo bay. The droid is big, bigger than she was expecting—she’s only seen it from a distance while on base before—and sturdier than she was expecting, too.

“Three Oh, ready?” Tristan asks.

Surprisingly, the droid _beeps._

It’s a high noise, or at least higher than she was expecting it to be. Not high-pitched, the way an MSE’s beeping is, but certainly not deep, either. The droid’s legs and arms are solid, and the torso looks almost like it’s made of….

She whirls to glance up at her younger brother, irritated he’s taller than her. “Is that _beskar?!_ ”

“Yep. Designed to protect him and his data circuits,” Tristan says, expression smug. “And I’m not accepting constructive criticism at the moment.”

Sabine rolls her eyes. “Of course you aren’t,” she mutters under her breath.

There’s the familiar lurch of dropping from hyperspace before the internal comms come on again. “ _Heading in now, be prepared to disembark._ ”

“Copy,” Tristan calls up, turning back to Sabine. “Ready?” She nods.

_Let’s get this over with._

* * *

Ezra blinks as his former master sets the fighter down on a large expanse of barren rock. “Where are we?”

“Anaxes,” the man responds, removing his safety restraint and rising. Ezra gets up, too, and eyes the controls of the TIE. If he could just….

His master follows his gaze and the man shifts, blocking his line of sight. “No,” he says, voice hard as his eyes narrow.

“I wasn’t—”

“I’m not _stupid,_ kid. No. You get out first.”

Anger flashing in his eyes, Ezra obeys, opening the hatch and clambering out of the fighter. He jumps down, wincing and hissing as an old injury from Maul’s training flares up. His former master lands beside him, crouching. “You oka—”

“I’m fine!” he snaps, anger coiling in his gut like a viper ready to strike.

“Kid, it looks like you’re hurt. Let me see.”

“It’s nothing, just an old injury.”

“Kid—”

“I said it’s _fine._ ”

They stare at each other for a long minute before the man finally shrugs. “Fine, sure. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you when it still hurts later.”

“Trust me, I won’t.”

His former master straightens, gesturing for the teen to follow him. Ezra does, albeit reluctantly, and he glances around at the surrounding rocks. They’re in the midst of an asteroid field, so, he assumes, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say that this “Anaxes” _is_ an asteroid.

His former master stops just outside a large, yawning cavern dug into the rock. “There’s creatures in there. They only come out when it’s dark, and they’ll kill us if we let them.”

“It’s possible to control them though,” Ezra responds, gaze searching the darkness. He can make out faintly glowing eyes, and the occasional blur of movement. He finds himself hard-pressed to suppress a shiver.

The older Inquisitor casts him a sidelong glance. “How so?” he asks, voice entirely neutral.

“You just shove your way into their mind,” he replies, repeating what Maul has drilled into him over the past few months. “It’s not that hard, if you know what you’re doing.”

“Are you implying I _don’t?_ ”

“What do you think?”

The pair falls silent for several minutes, before the man finally turns around and heads back toward the fighter. “I’ll put the lights on, and we’ll hope the battery doesn’t run out. And then we’ll make camp out here.”

Ezra nods reluctantly. His former master climbs back into the TIE, flicking the lights on within moments. He continues to rummage around in the fighter for another couple of minutes and Ezra finds himself drawn to the edge of the asteroid. He walks over, staring out into the sickly amber sky.

_You should’ve stayed on Tatooine._

The thought startles him and he blinks. But if he had stayed on Tatooine, he wouldn’t have….

 _You wouldn’t have been taken back to the Inquisitors, or made Maul deal with rescuing you, or even be standing here on a kriffing asteroid because you’re just so kriffing_ useless!

He closes his eyes, breathing out slowly before finally reopening them. He wants revenge, that’s why he hasn’t died yet. No, he _needs_ revenge.

 _On who?_ the part of his mind he normally ignores asks.

_On everyone._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> three oh is babey and i love him : )


	4. IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions between Kanan and Ezra boil over into a shouting match as Kanan struggles with his guilt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Suicidal Thoughts (not acted upon)

Kanan knows he should have been better.

He should have gotten the kid out of there years ago, back when they had first sent his apprentice to track down the mysterious—at the time—Fulcrum.

But he didn’t. And now, he, and the kid—mostly the kid, in all honesty—are paying the price.

He pulls out his bedroll from within the fighter’s floor compartment, setting it on the seat and reaching back in to get the heat reflective blanket. He tosses that up onto the seat, too, then sits back on his heels and stares into the compartment for a moment longer.

He needs to do _more._

He needs to do _more_ to make up for what happened with the kid over the past several months—no, over the past several _years._ Because just getting him away from the Shadow after almost _ten months_ of living under the other Dark Sider’s thumb isn’t enough. There’s scars from that time, Kanan knows, both those he can see and those he can’t. And just leaving that twisted excuse for a _master_ behind isn’t enough to heal them.

 _Oh, so_ he’s _an excuse for a teacher but_ you _aren’t? Which of you was there to provide support for the boy after you nearly_ killed him?

The Shadow didn’t provide _support,_ and Kanan knows that. The way the boy flinches even more than he used to, now….

But still.

The part of his brain that’s still begging him to take a ‘saber to his own throat and end it all has a point, as much as he hates to admit it. For all the boy knows, Kanan really _was_ trying to kill him. For all he knows, it _wasn’t_ an act.

And for all Kanan knows, his apprentice has never had any reason since to doubt that.

Swallowing hard, Kanan rises, rolling his neck in an effort to ease tension he barely realizes is there. He pushes himself back upright, swallowing and giving the floor compartment one last cursory glance before sliding the hatch closed again. He turns to the bedroll and reflective blanket, grabbing them and tucking them under one arm before climbing out of the fighter.

He lands on the ground easily, turning to search for his apprentice. There. The boy stands at the very edge of the asteroid, and for a moment Kanan’s heart stops. _He’s not jumping, is he?_

But no. Ezra’s still, just staring off at the other asteroids surrounding their refuge.

Kanan walks toward him, clearing his throat to make sure the kid is aware of his approach. The boy turns, blinking. Kanan holds up the bedroll and blanket in response.

“For tonight. I dunno how much the temp fluctuates here.”

The boy shrugs. “Okay.”

Kanan stops several feet away from him, trying to study his apprentice without letting him know that that’s what he’s doing. Finally, the boy speaks up.

“Why did you...why did you do it?”

“Do what?” he asks, as if he doesn’t know.

But his answer isn’t what Kanan was expecting.

“Come looking for me.”

He blinks in surprise. Wouldn’t it be obvious? “I...I wanted to make sure you were okay, kid. And...and they would’ve killed you otherwise. If they had just sent the Seventh Sister alone—”

“Then why didn’t you let them?!” _What?_ The teen is looking at him now, aggression clear in his body language. He gestures wildly toward the empty expanse of rocks in the atmosphere beyond them. “Why didn’t you _let them_ come and find me and kill me?! Did they say they’d kill you otherwise?!”

“Yes, but—”

“So you’re still doing things just to save your own skin. I see how it is. Keep those,” he scoffs, nodding to the bedroll and blanket. “I’m just another way for you to survive.”

“Kid, that’s not—”

“And don’t you _dare_ call me that! Don’t you _dare_ call me kid, when you don’t even- you don’t even _know_ the half of what I’ve been through without you! Your training just helped me escape. Your training wasn’t what kept me _alive!_ ”

“Then who did, huh?” Kanan can’t help but give into his anger now. He risked _everything_ for his apprentice, endured _so much_ for just a _chance_ at keeping him alive, and the kid’s turning around and acting like Kanan is the sole reason they’re stuck here on an asteroid at the end of the universe.

_If you’re not, then who is?_

He ignores the voice in his head and presses onward, furious now with both the kid and himself.

“ _I_ was the one who taught you how to _shield yourself_ to keep yourself from getting _killed!_ _I_ was the one who taught you how to sense if someone was lying or not, so you could know who you could _trust! I_ was the one who asked them to let _me_ go and save your karking skin so Seven wouldn’t _slaughter you_ the moment she laid eyes on you! And you’re telling me that all of _that_ was for _nothing?!_ ”

They’re both silent for a moment, both breathing heavily before the kid clenches his fists tight and screams, “I _hate you!_ ”

“ _Good!_ ” Kanan shouts back. “That’s kriffing _great_ for you! Let me know how it works out!”

The boy’s eyes darken, flashing gold—more gold than Kanan’s ever seen, if he’s honest with himself. A sudden chill passes through the scraps of their bond, too.

“You should’ve let them kill me,” the kid mutters, voice hard.

Kanan realizes then that he’s gone too far.

“Kid, kid wait—”

“I said _don’t_ call me kid!” He backs away from Kanan, gaze seething, and turns, stalking off toward the cave entrance. Kanan watches, wishing he could follow, but knowing that doing so will only make things worse.

_At least you gave him your lightsaber earlier. If anything in there attacks, he has it, right?_

The thought does little to comfort Kanan as he heads back to the fighter in silence.


	5. V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Han, Chewbacca, and Ahsoka continue their mission while Sabine, Tristan, and Three Oh reach the pickup spot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Murder, Suicide (kind of? it’s a droid)

Han creeps around a corner behind Tano, slowing to a stop as she halts just behind the next corner. “I think we can save time if we cut through here,” she whispers. He nods, following her through a doorway that’s surprisingly unlocked.

The sound of lightsabers stops him short.

He and Tano duck behind a group of storage containers and exchange a glance. “Wait here,” she mouths, and he nods again as she starts to sneak forward again. She remains behind the cover of the containers and goes all the way around to the edge, and Han risks glancing up and over the crates.

A pair of black-armored humanoids duels in the center of what he now realizes is a dojo—albeit one with an abnormally high number of storage crates—red blades whirling as they clash repeatedly. Occasionally, one of them says something in a low tone, and the other will respond similarly before they go back to their fight.

Han ducks back down, shooting a glance at Tano and mouthing, “What do we do?”

The woman shrugs before returning her gaze to the pair of duelists.

Without warning, the doors open once more, and four of the same weird-looking troopers Han had seen earlier enter and fire without warning.

But not on him and Tano.

On the Inquisitors.

They’re down and, hopefully, dead within seconds. Tano waits for several minutes after the ‘troopers leave before rising, approaching the corpses.

“Here.” She tosses Han one of the duelists’ now-sheathed blades, locked within a circle. He blinks and inspects it for a moment.

“I don’t have—”

“You’ll need it. Trust me.” Tano walks past him to the door and he follows, curiosity piqued.

“Why’d they shoot their own men?”

She shrugs as the door slides open. “In Togruti, we call Dark Siders _mjet det viida eh keno._ ”

Han blinks. “Okay?”

“It doesn’t translate directly to Basic, but...its closest meaning is, ‘Always at war.’ With both each other,” she nods over her shoulder to the corpses in the dojo, “and the world.”

He nods, deep in thought as he follows her down the hall, the hilt of the blade clutched tightly in his hand. She presses the ‘lift controls, and they both breathe a sigh of relief when the door opens to reveal no one. They step inside, and he lets her take the lead again as she presses the controls for the ground level.

The repulsorlift is silent, and he risks asking her a question he’s long wanted to.

“Why did you leave the Jedi?”

Tano laughs, gaze dropping to the floor. “People change,” is all she says, and her voice is oddly wistful.

He nods, though her answer only stirs up more questions in his mind.

The ‘lift reaches the ground floor and opens, and they step out together. It’s oddly quiet. They start heading toward the pickup spot, and Han hopes Chewbacca’s ready.

As they head toward the pickup location, Han allows himself to relax. They’re almost out of here, and then they can go back to the rebellion and normalcy.

Of course that’s what his train of thought is when the troopers charge out from a corner ahead of them.

He raises the lightsaber, pressing the pair of buttons in the middle of the handle and stepping back as two bright blades shoot out. Tano shoots him a glance as she grabs her usual weapons.

“Do you know how to use that?”

“Not particularly, but it can’t be too hard—”

A pair of blaster shots whizzes toward them as Tano snorts. “Stick to weapons you’re comfortable with, until we get out of here. Otherwise we’ll end up just like them.”

He nods, pressing the buttons again and letting loose a small sigh of relief as the blades withdraw. He draws his blaster and begins shooting, Tano beside him deflecting bolts back at the troopers.

They slowly begin to make their way toward the pick up spot, troopers falling occasionally. They’re much better shots than the usual stormtroopers, Han has to admit. Even if he hates that fact.

They round a corner and he hears a loud groan. _Chewie. Finally, we can get off of this kriffing—_

He hears a thud.

Han risks a glance over his shoulder, the sound of the blaster charge that accompanied the thud setting off alarms in his head, in time to see Tano’s eyes widen just before she collapses. He whirls, intending to go back to her, though for what cause he doesn’t know.

Chewbacca groans again.

The black-armored troopers continue shooting, somehow heedless of Han’s internal struggle.

_She’s dead. You said it yourself, these troopers have good aim. It’s not worth risking your own life to recover a body._

Swallowing, he turns back and runs toward Chewbacca.

The Wookiee waves an arm, gesturing for Han to hurry, and he does. As he runs toward his friend, the blaster bolts miraculously missing him, he realizes that running is all he does. First with Qi’ra, then to Corellia, then to Tatooine.

And now, from Tano.

He chokes back an answer as Chewbacca asks him where Tano is, simply shaking his head. His friend clearly didn’t see her fall. As the pair turns to go, Han risks another glance back. The troopers have stopped firing, and one now approaches Tano’s body.

 _They’re just making sure she’s dead. You should take the chance they’re giving you, and_ leave.

Swallowing again, he does.

* * *

Sabine follows her brother silently, trying to ignore the droid looming behind her. Three Oh brings up the rear, and aside from the occasional crunch of his steps, the droid is almost silent.

She’s not sure how far it is to the pickup spot, not on foot. She could ask Three Oh, or her brother—they both have wrist projectors with a map of the facility pre-loaded—but she doesn’t want to risk ticking Tristan off more than she has to. Or his droid. She shudders. _De Ka’ra,_ she wishes that droid was still on the ship.

The molten rock flows beside their path in a thick river, one with heat strong enough she would take her helmet off if she was willing to risk smoke inhalation. But she has plenty of problems to deal with without adding that to the list.

Tristan stops suddenly, raising a hand. The group is frozen for a moment before her brother nods, continuing. She hopes they’re getting closer.

It feels like hours when they finally reach the facility, though she knows in reality it’s likely been just twenty minutes at the most. Heat has a way to mess with your mind, as she knows all too well from her Academy days. Tristan guides them under an overhanging landing pad to another lower pad, holding up a hand again to halt them.

“ _They’re just ahead of us, but I’m getting a lot of heat signatures. It’s not just them._ ”

She nods before remembering he won’t be able to see the gesture, instead switching her helmet’s comm on to reply. “ _Are we waiting it out then?_ ”

“ _No. Command made it very clear that this was a get in, get out mission. I’m just letting you know the situation so you’re ready._ ”

“Vor’e.”

Tristan nods once in acknowledgement before lowering his hand, starting forward again. After several meters, Sabine risks a glance back to check on Three Oh.

Only, the droid’s not there.

She does a double take before clicking her comm on. “ _Your droid’s gone._ ”

“ _I know. I sent him ahead as a distraction._ ”

“ _But he’s a survey droid, isn’t he?_ ”

Tristan shrugs before glancing back at her, expression unreadable through his visor. “ _Ish._ ”

Sighing, Sabine shakes her head and continues to follow her brother forward and into the firefight.

They reach the landing pad, watching as Three Oh appears and begins to shoot at the ‘troopers. Sabine blinks in surprise.

“ _So_ that’s _his mod?_ ”

“ _One of ‘em. Let’s go._ Buir _just commed and said she’s waiting._ ”

The pair runs across the landing pad, stopping as they reach the other end. A noise from behind makes Sabine draw her blaster and whirl, freezing upon sighting a blaster aimed at her in turn.

“ _Tristan._ ”

“ _Wha—oh._ ”

Tristan turns, raising his hand slowly. “Friendlies,” he says, switching his helmet comm to external. The man with a blaster in Sabine’s face scoffs.

“Prove it.”

The Wookiee beside him groans something that Sabine vaguely recognizes from the three months she’d spent obsessively studying Shyriiwook. However, she lets Tristan step in anyway as a precaution.

The teen removes his helmet. “Spectre Four, Spectre Squadron under General Syndulla. This is...a newcomer.”

The man studies them both for a second before holstering his blaster. “Solo. That’s Chewbacca,” he says, jerking a thumb in the Wookiee’s direction.

“Fulcrum?”

A wave of what almost looks like _grief_ crosses over Solo’s face. “She won’t be coming.”

She. So Fulcrum is— _was?—_ a woman.

Tristan just nods, replacing his helmet.

“In that case, let’s get you two out of here.”

The group heads toward another landing pad further away, and Sabine risks a glance back at Three Oh. “ _What about your droid?_ ”

“ _His memory’s backed up. He’s programmed to self-destruct once the extraction targets are offworld._ ”

“ _Oh._ ”

They fall silent until they reach the other landing pad, the Gauntlet waiting. The ramp opens as they run, and Sabine feels a weight lift off of her as all four of them get aboard. The door closes behind Chewbacca, and the ship takes off immediately after. Tristan removes his helmet, tapping his wrist comm.

“Three Oh, this is Spectre Four. Do you copy?”

A series of trills comes through and Tristan closes his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply.

“Three Oh, commence Order Three One One immediately. We’re off-planet with the targets.” There’s a pause, and then another beep, this time somehow...sadder.

And then the line goes dead.

Tristan opens his eyes, exhaling quietly. “I need to be alone,” he mutters, storming off and out of the cargo bay. Sabine feels Solo and Chewbacca’s glances on her.

“Who’s Three Oh?”

“His droid. He says he has its memory backed up, but….”

Solo nods, sympathy crossing his features. “I get it. My...friend, he...he had a droid he was close with. When she went out….”

Sabine nods. “Yeah….Oh, you’ll probably want to see Mother. She’ll want a report of how it went. Here, she’s this way, come on.” She brushes aside all thoughts of droids and loss, gesturing for the pair to follow her out of the cargo bay. She hesitates outside Tristan’s cabin, nodding to the cockpit. “Mother should be in there.”

“Thanks.”

The pair brushes past her and she waits until the door of the cockpit closes before knocking on her little brother’s door. “Tristan?”

“What?” he snaps from within.

“If...if you want to talk….”

“I don’t need to talk with an _Imp,_ ” he snarls.

_Of course he doesn’t. Who would?_

Brushing aside the resentment that tries to read its head at the remark, Sabine leaves without another word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> see I SHOULD have calendar reminders for this fic at this point but oh well
> 
> Mando’a  
> De Ka’ra: by the stars  
> Vor’e: thank you  
> Buir: mother


End file.
